Akiba Academy to honor Dr. Rick Hodes at INSPIRE gala
Akiba Academy will honor Dr. Rick Hodes for his humanitarian actions, which have touched countless lives, at the INSPIRE gala on Sunday, Sept. 13, 5 p.m. at the Westin Park Central, according to Marilyn Rutner, Akiba’s director of development.
Dr. Hodes, past Akiba parent, serves as director of medical programs in Ethiopia for the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC). In addition to managing medical clinics that provide treatment, immunization, nutritional support, family planning and community health for tens of thousands of immigrants, he has directed the medical care for Ethiopian Jews making aliyah to Israel since 1990. His humanitarian accomplishments include Operation Solomon in May 1991, which airlifted over 14,000 Ethiopians to Israel in 48 hours. He has been in charge of the health of about 1 percent of the population of Israel before they became Israeli.
Dr. Hodes cared for the health of 50,000 refugees from Rwanda who had fled to Zaire in 1994 and 1995. He spent Yom Kippur 1994 working in Kibumba Refugee Camp. He has also worked with Kosovo refugees in Albania and Zairean refugees in Tanzania, all on behalf of JDC, and lent his medical expertise to the Swedish Red Cross in Eritrea and the U.S. Peace Corps in Ethiopia.
In a non-sectarian JDC program, Dr. Hodes is an attending physician at the Mother Teresa’s Mission, working with the sick and destitute with heart disease, spine disease and cancer. He directs a program which sends Ethiopians to India for heart surgery and Ghana for spine surgery.
Dr. Hodes lectures extensively around the world and has published many articles. In 2007, CNN selected him as one of its “CNN Heroes” in the “Championing Children” category.
After graduating from the University of Rochester Medical School, he trained in internal medicine at the Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Hodes was a Fulbright Lecturer in Medicine at the Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. He holds an academic appointment at University of Texas Medical School in San Antonio. The American College of Physicians has awarded him the rare title of “Mastership,” in recognition of “exceedingly stellar career accomplishments.” He received an honorary Doctorate in Science (D.Sc.) from Middlebury College.
Dr. Hodes lives with his family in Addis Ababa.
Proceeds from this prestigious event will benefit scholarships, educational programming and professional development at Akiba, the first Jewish day school in Dallas, founded in 1962. Event Co-chairs Sharon Blumberg and Dana Feinstein invite Akiba friends and family to be a part of the celebration and to consider sponsorship and advertisement in the commemorative tribute journal that will be presented to Dr. Hodes, dinner attendees and supporters of the school.
“We are so excited to be a part of an event that will celebrate a true hero. Dr. Hodes is making the world a better place and inspiring our children to have a positive impact on others. We hope that everyone in the community will join us in honoring him. ‘INSPIRE’ is sure to inspire!” Blumberg and Feinstein said.
For more information about this event and its sponsorship opportunities, please contact Marilyn Rutner at 214-295-3400, mrutner@akibaacademy.org.
Dr. Jerrold Grodin to be July 26 JWV speaker
Members and guests at the Sunday, July 26 meeting of the Jewish War Veterans and Auxiliary look forward to the return visit of acclaimed cardiologist Dr. Jerrold Grodin. He will talk about his second trip to Iraq, where he tended to the medical needs of our troops.
The usual lox and bagel breakfast will be served, for which there will be a charge of $4 per person. Members of the community are welcome. Dr. Grodin was highly recommended as a speaker by Jerry Benjamin.
JFS Employment Networking Group session on employment outlook in Richardson
John Jacobs, senior vice president of economic development for the Richardson Chamber of Commerce, will speak about the employment outlook, today and in the future, in the city of Richardson, on Wednesday, July 22, 9:30 to 11 a.m. Mr. Jacobs directs the day-to-day activities of the Richardson Economic Development Partnership, a joint Chamber and City effort involved in business recruitment, retention and start-ups. He is the immediate past chairman of the DFW Marketing Team, a consortium of more than 40 DFW cities that markets the Metroplex nationwide for the purpose of economic development. For more information, contact Allison Harding at aharding@jfsdallas.org or 972-437-9950.
JFS offers networking group especially for new grads
If you’re a recent college grad looking for employment, Jewish Family Service is starting a new Job-Search networking group just for you.
You’ll learn:
• How to build a resume with only a sparse job history
• The best way to answer tough interview questions
• How to write an effective cover letter
• What employers are really looking for in today’s difficult market
• The “dos” and “don’ts” of Facebook, Twitter & LinkedIn
• All about local networking opportunities
Allison Harding, a Jewish Family Service Employment Specialist who has 15 years’ experience as a human-resources recruiter, will facilitate the group.
The Grads Networking Group held their first meeting on July 14. Future meetings will be held every Tuesday, 1:30 to 3 p.m., at Jewish Family Service, 5402 Arapaho Road. There are no fees, nor is it necessary to RSVP.
Please bring a copy of your resume if you have one. Friends are welcome. For added information, contact Allison Harding at 972-437-9950 or aharding@jfsdallas.org.
An evening with actor George Takei, July 19
The Crow Collection will present “An Evening with George Takei” on Sunday, July 19. The lecture begins at 6 p.m. in the Horchow Auditorium at the Dallas Museum of Art with a reception to follow at the Crow Collection of Asian Art.
Long before he traveled the universe as Lt. Sulu on board the USS Enterprise, as a child George Takei was trapped behind the barbed wire fences that surrounded the Japanese-American internment camps during World War II. He and his family were among the 120,000 U.S. residents of Japanese descent who were interned during the war.
Mr. Takei, who was born in Los Angeles, spent most of his childhood at Camp Rower in the swamps of Arkansas and at the windswept Camp Tule Lake in northern California. He will speak about his childhood experiences as well as his life as a Japanese American in the United States.
The lecture is being presented in conjunction with a special exhibition, “The Return of the Yellow Peril: A Survey of the Works by Roger Shimomura,” which can be seen at the Crow Collection through Aug. 9.
The event is sponsored by the Crow Collection, the Japan-America Society of Dallas/Fort Worth and American Airlines. Tickets are $15 for Friends of the Crow Collection, Japan-America Society of DFW members and students with valid ID; $30 for non-members. Reservations are required. Call 214-979-6438 or visit www.crowcollection.org to register.
You can call 214-979-6430 for more information. The Crow Collection of Asian Art is located at 2010 Flora St. in the heart of the downtown Dallas Arts District. The Dallas Museum of Art is at 1717 Harwood, across the street from the Crow Collection.
The Crow Collection, dedicated to the arts and cultures of Asia, was founded in 1998 by Trammell and Margaret Crow in an effort to share their love of Asian art with the people of North Texas. It was also their hope that this museum will help bridge the gap between East and West.
On the business scene
Salli Goldstein has renewed her membership in the Association of Bridal Consultants. A full-service wedding planner, she operates Salli G, serving brides in Dallas, Fort Worth and surrounding towns.
As an Association member, Goldstein works to improve her professionalism and that of others in the wedding business. She has been a member since March 1990. At Salli G they do a spectacular job with day-of-wedding coordinating!
The Association of Bridal Consultants is located in New Milford, Conn., and is the only organization specifically designed to serve wedding professionals worldwide with over 4,500 members in 30 countries.